He instead heaped praise on the Portuguese, who has worked with for 17 years, telling MUTV: "Maybe one day we are playing against each other in the Premier League.

"If that moment arrives, I will be a very proud guy because this man came to me when he was a kid 17 years ago. So, if that happens, I will be a very proud guy."

Mourinho also confirmed that Faria's replacement wouldn't be Portuguese, adding: "No. It's a person coming who worked with me before but I can't say the name because he's still linked to another club."

Jose Mourinho is in the market for a new number two (Image: PA)

So for a bit of fun we have compiled a list of six possible candidates - who are currently in employment and who aren't Portuguese - who could be Mourinho's next number two.

Aitor Karanka

Reasons for: Aitor Karanka was Mourinho's assistant for three years at Real Madrid, and the pair struck up a great friendship in this time.

Before taking on the Middlesbrough job in 2013, Karanka said: "[Mourinho] told me that I am coming to a very big club and a nice challenge. He is my friend and I am sure he will be behind me, as he has been always."

Mourinho may be looking to get the old band back together, after all the pair had some success at the Bernabeu. Oh, and Karanka is Spanish.

Reasons against: Karanka is currently Nottingham Forest boss, and it seems unlikely that he would throw this away to revert to being an assistant. After all, he did the opposite in 2013.

Ahead of getting the Forest job, the Spaniard said: "After 10 months out of the game, when you arrive at a club like Forest, it is something that is really nice. From the first moment, you feel that you are arriving at a big club.

"You can feel, from the moment you arrive at the training ground or the stadium, that you are somewhere special."

Giuseppe Baresi

Reflecting on that particular season in an interview with Times of Malta in 2015, Baresi said: "The whole season was unforgettable. Working close to Mourinho, a coach with a great charisma, was an incredible experience."

Whether he would like to work with Mourinho again remains to be seen, but it certainly seems the Italian - who was demoted after the Portuguese left for Real Madrid - enjoyed his time being his number two.

Giuseppe Baresi worked with the Portuguese at Inter Milan (Image: Getty Images)

Reasons against: Baresi has been at Inter pretty much his entire life; from 1971 - when he was just 14 - to 1992 as a player, and then from 2008 to now in a coaching capacity.

He absolutely loves it in Milan - it's his home - so it would be very hard for him to leave. Speaking in the same 2015 interview as above, Baresi added: "Inter represent my second family.

"My parents, brothers, sisters and relatives are my first family but Inter is my second home. I was only 14 when I joined and I;m still part of this club, still representing the colours of Inter."

Steve Holland

Reasons for: Steve Holland was a key part of Mourinho's staff at Chelsea, and a rarity in that he was English in a team comprised of Portuguese coaches.

But Holland stood out from the pack by showing a willingness to stand up to Mourinho and voice concerns about things, even if it wasn't something the boss wanted to hear.

Faria is known for doing exactly this at Manchester United - he doesn't just simply nod along and agree. And Mourinho may well be looking to fill Faria's void with an equally astute individual; a man capable of keeping him on his toes.

Steve Holland was a key member of Mourinho's coaching staff at Chelsea (Image: Getty Images Europe)

Reasons against: Holland is currently Gareth Southgate's assistant manager at England, and the World Cup is just around the corner.

Holland has done his time working as an assistant for the Under-21s, and has finally got his chance to shine on the biggest stage of them all come June.

It seems very unlikely that Holland will throw away this opportunity so close to the tournament, and equally unlikely that Mourinho will wait until after the World Cup to announce his new assistant.

Steve Clarke

Reasons for: Steve Clarke is a big fan of Mourinho's and was promoted to assistant manager under him at Chelsea.

Speaking to BBC Scotland this April, Clarke, who is now Kilmarnock boss, hailed Mourinho's influence on his career, saying: "The most influential would be Jose. Those years were great - it worked out really well.

"I picked up a lot from Jose, in terms of organisation and working with intensity - working with intensity every day."

Steve Clarke was promoted to an assistant's role at Chelsea under Mourinho (Image: Getty Images)

Reasons against: As aforesaid, Clarke, who spent years doing the 'donkey work' - even if he did so in a more glamorous way than other coaches in the game - is currently Kilmarnock boss.

It is therefore very unlikely that he'd revert back to being an assistant.

Not only this but Clarke is doing a brilliant job in Scotland, and lead Kilmarnock - who were bottom when he became boss - to a fifth-place finish this season.

Baltemar Brito

Reasons for: Baltemar Brito was Mourinho's assistant when he stormed onto the scene at Porto, winning the Champions League with the Primeira Liga club.

The Brazilian, who currently works at Union Titus Petange, later followed the Portuguese to Stamford Bridge, where he worked as an assistant for Mourinho alongside Clarke.

He has an eight-year working relationship with Mourinho, and is known for his extensive audio-visual work behind closed doors.

Baltemar Brito was Mourinho's assistant when he stormed onto the scene at Porto (Image: Reuters)

Reasons against: Mourinho has come a very long way since working with Brito back at Porto - and then Chelsea.

And while he may have worked very well alongside him, Faria (who was fitness coach at the time), Andre Villas-Boas (who was chief scout), and goalkeeper coach Silvino Louro, things have changed.

This particular quartet has been completely disbanded now that Faria has left, and Mourinho will likely look forward, not back, when making a new appointment.

John Terry

Reasons for: John Terry was Mourinho's captain and leader when he was Chelsea boss, and the Englishman has made it clear he wants to get into management at some point in the future.

He's nearing the end of his career, and you can bet your bottom dollar that the chance to learn from the man who aided his playing days in more ways than any other person would be a very attractive proposition.

It's an 'out-there' choice, of course, but the Manchester United manager has never been one to shy away from making a controversial call.

John Terry was Mourinho's captain and leader when he was Chelsea boss (Image: Getty Images Europe)

Reasons against: For similar reasons to the other candidates, Terry already has a job.

Terry's Aston Villa side have a brilliant chance of getting promoted to the Premier League this season, if they can beat Fulham in the play-off final, and the former Chelsea defender will relish the chance of playing in the top flight one last time.

Additionally, managing at Manchester United in any capacity - particularly in games against Chelsea - is something Terry would find very difficult to do.